DA 303 banded match cartridge?

[CZ85Combat]

All I could find is that it was special ammo made for the DCRA... In this case, since it is stamped DA39, it would have been made for the DCRA match of 1940

I have 20 rds of it...


What can the experts tell me about it?
I sold all of me .303

 

[tootall]

Ask Smellie.
I dont think you could stump him on old milsurp issues.

 

[smellie]

Can't tell you a whole heck of lot, friend.

Major Peter Labbett wrote a whole series of articles which were published in GUNS REVIEW Magazine (Ravenhill Publishing, London) entitled "The Banded .303s". They were published back in the mid-1960s and I believe they were later collected into a small book. That is the only definitive source I know of. The articles were written in Major Labbett's characteristic style: factual information, closely packed, with just a touch of humour in the odd place.

HOW could you sell your .303s? That's like selling your FRIENDS!!!!

Nice to know there are still a few of these around in nice condition. The Primers have had 74 years to get dodgy, but that is still enough to make 20 collectors smile for a day each.

Hopefully TonyE might have something on these; I believe he has most of Major Labbett's notes.

Nice find!

 

[wheaty]

Match ammo and very early match ammo!!!

 

[CZ85Combat]

Also found some old DA 1917 Blanks...

 

[36 hamon]

i have some around here like that say DCRA on the wrap ...have some loose rds somewhere too

 

[Dosing]

According to MacDonalds book on the Canadian 303 they are for the 40 match, with 'Gentian Violet' bands, a colour used every four years. No further details.

 

[CZ85Combat]

According to MacDonalds book on the Canadian 303 they are for the 40 match, with 'Gentian Violet' bands, a colour used every four years. No further details.

That's confirm what I have found, thanks

How frequent is that ammo? Value?

 

[TonyE]

I have a number of these rounds from different years in my collection, and somewhere I have a list of the colours by year. I will try to find it.

The practice continued for a few years at least after the change to 7.62mm NATO.

Regards
TonyE

 

[Dosing]

That's confirm what I have found, thanks
How frequent is that ammo? Value?

You see it from time to time, its not common, but at the same time no one seems to shoot it, so it just seems to cycle around the gunshow/collectors circuit. Its usually a 3-5$ a round kind of deal, maybe a few bucks more to someone looking to fill a niche in their collection.
Few odd pages from MacDonald, match rounds are in there somewhere.

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[buffdog]

1940 Issue DCRA Match Ammuition

 

[TonyE]

Many thanks for that, I still cannot find my copy of that list!

Is it possible to still purchase a copy of the booklet on canadian .303 inch ammo?

Regards
TonyE

 

[Dosing]

AFAIK both the Wonch and MacDonald books on the 303 are no longer available. I had to do some serious scouring 15 years ago to find copies.

 

[TonyE]

Thanks anyway!

Regards
TonyE

 

[Lee Enfield]

I have about 150 rds of either the 1927 or 1928 loading.

I've been meaning to pop some off to see if they have any consistency left.

I keep resisting however due to the fact that they came from several sources and I have no idea how they may have been stored over the last 85 or so years....

 

[PIAT]

Hi all,

Sorry for my late addition to this conversation. Here is a photo of a reasonable selection of the Canadian .303 British Match cartridges that are being discussed:

Regards.

 

[Dosing]

Hi all,

Sorry for my late addition to this conversation. Here is a photo of a reasonable selection of the Canadian .303 British Match cartridges that are being discussed:

Regards.

They would look good in a nice frame.

 

[TonyE]

That is a very nice collection. I have a two or three examples, but as they were made for domestic Canadian consumption we don't see too many here in the UK.

Regards
Tonye

 

[tootall]

Holy smokes! Now you guys have got me all motivated to start collecting the banded ones.
I knew they existed, but I didnt know there was so many varieties.

 

[PIAT]

Thanks. It took me a while to put all those together. There probably are a few in the photograph that I would be hard pressed to replace. I probably have a few others that I haven't yet sorted into the collection. If anyone out there has other .303 that you don't see in my photo, please let me know.